With the general election now all but set between President Barack Obama and Republican Mitt Romney, the campaigns are starting to hit each other more directly.

The attacks are happening much on TV yet, but several online ads have been released. With Newt Gingrich officially out of the race and prospects dim for Ron Paul, Romney's focus is on Obama.

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The Romney campaign has released an online ad titled "Broken Promises" that features ominous storm clouds as it talks about the ballooning deficit.

The Obama campaign has countered with an online ad pounding the message that Romney is an out-of-touch corporate candidate.

The New Hampshire arms of both campaigns are defending the messages.

"They're focused on political attacks, diversions, distortions," said Romney senior adviser Jim Merrill. "We're focused on records, the facts. I think the truth hurts for the Obama campaign, and the truth is they can't defend their record."

"We've added over 4 million jobs," said Pete Kavanaugh, New Hampshire director of the Obama campaign. "I think the president's record stands for itself, and I think the vision that he has for the next four years is a stark contrast from what Romney has been suggesting."

In recent years, online ads have been a tool to augment platforms and critiques of candidates. But so far in this cycle, they have been the vehicle by which the campaigns introduce new talking points to see where they lead.

"Web ads have basically replaced press releases," said James Pindell of WMURPoliticalScoop.com. "But the reality is Web ads are only going be seen by people really invested in the campaign, and 90 percent of the other people will still get their message from TV ads."

In a race where dollars are at a premium, Web ads, aside from their production costs, are cost-efficient. A click of a button can send the ad to thousands without even the cost of a postage stamp. And the campaigns said that if one goes viral, it's better publicity than they could ever buy.